 Red Room Writer Profile
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Andrea Alban Gosline's Blog
August 26, 2009
- When I was nine, my body was taller, my legs were fatter, my hair was frizzier, and my chest more developed, than the petite, lean, shiny-haired pack of girls I watched in the school yard. I stood on the outside looking in. I sat on a different bench at lunchtime. I remember the sting of being different, of rejection and isolation. My daughter, Lily, now the same age, yearns for a best ...
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July 28, 2009
- Blessing for the MothersAnticipate the joy of life as a mother. Flourish with the gifts your children bring.Nurture yourself, too, as you care for your loved ones. Show your children the way of wonder. Voice your thoughts in kindness and clarity. Stand tall for your children, family, and community.Listen deeply with compassion. Envision a good life and a welcoming world. Embrace your ...
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January 15, 2009
- I read THE HAPPINESS TREE and JANUARY'S CHILD to the third grade class at Sanchez Elementary School this past June. My book buddy, Luis, was proud to stand by my side and assist me in passing out my gift of a new book to each of his classmates, many of whom rarely shelve a new book in their libraries at home. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to balance the solitude of writing at my desk ...
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December 29, 2008
- Does it have to be done? Does it have to be done now? Can I delegate it? Does it have to be perfect? Is there a simpler way to do it? —La Leche League I clear the way for a simpler life. I leave spaces in my day and remove the word “hurry” from my vocabulary. I prune every unnecessary obligation. “Less is more” is my call to inaction. I stop rushing and notice how the ...
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December 26, 2008
- Fifteen years ago tonight, I treated my four year old son, Jake, to a holiday night of sweet treats and amusement park rides on the rooftop of the Emporium, a now defunct department store downtown on Market Street. My own mother used to bring my sister and me there every December to eat crunchy corn dogs dipped in yellow mustard and ride the ferris wheel high above the twinkling city lights, ...
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December 25, 2008
- I cultivate the special quality of being content with very few possessions. Millions of people around the world wear clothes discarded by others, dwell in makeshift homes, eat less than their hungry bellies yearn for. Though I need not worry about scrounging my next meal or that I will shiver tonight, I adopt a non-clinging attitude towards the material world. Excess surrounds me in this ...
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December 24, 2008
- The hardest part of raising children is teaching them to ride a bicycle ... A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom ... —Sloan WilsonI remember the shiny, new bicycle in our living room: cobalt blue and fire engine red, fifteen speeds, center pull brakes, a lightweight modern design frame, shock absorbers, and high-end derailleurs (the mechanism that moves ...
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December 4, 2008
- My talkative puppet, TREENA, and I have visited scores of elementary schools, literary festivals, booksignings, and fundraisers throughout the San Francisco region since THE HAPPINESS TREE launched at the beginning of autumn. Together we have fascinated groups of tree-lovers with the tale of ten trees' simple gifts. TREENA is three feet tall, wears her branches in an up-do of colorful leaves-her ...
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December 1, 2008
- I've watched the trees closely as long as I can remember and along the way befriended a forest of favorites. There was the generous flowering plum in the front yard on Stratford Drive that blossomed in April, and by July was laden with shiny little plums. I would shimmy up the trunk, balance on a thick branch, and pluck and eat the tart fruit until my stomach groaned. Through thirty summers at ...
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November 25, 2008
- See how nature-trees, flowers, grass-grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence.-Mother TeresaIn solitude lies the boundless potential for a more fulfilling life. I let silence surround me and I hear more clearly messages of comfort and guidance. I make time to meditate-either sitting still or walking alone-and I notice how much more room I have to grow. When ...
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November 25, 2008
- Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.—Melodie Beatty Today I will develop an attitude of gratitude. I reflect on how many people make contributions to my good life. I name and thank—either in person or silently— all the people I know, and see, who do work I am grateful for. I especially take time to acknowledge those whom it is easy to take for granted, such as street sweepers (for ...
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June 18, 2008
- A flurry of agitated activity marks my departure from home. The phone rings as I pull the door shut and I jump back inside, jarred by its urgent shrill. I answer with a clipped tone of voice. Instead of telling my friend I will call her back later, I talk for several minutes, am now late for my appointment, and after hanging up, groan internally, Why did I pick up the phone? I rush out the ...
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June 18, 2008
- ... when awake, a whole mat when asleep. —Old Japanese sayingI contemplate the simplicity in this wise and humble teaching and decide to spend more time on the floor. Though I don't sit on a tatami mat to eat or visit with friends, I imagine how content one can feel occupying just a small space. We are all the same in our desire for a full belly and time to linger with those we enjoy. An hour ...
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June 18, 2008
- My children show me a true picture of myself. Knowing this helps me become more conscious of my words and actions. When I see a reflection that displeases me, I try not to feel guilty that I have set less than a perfect example. I use the information I have learned from them to improve myself. By talking to even the youngest children about my process, I teach them how to deal with a life they ...
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